Planning
Planning works
Even a small makeover of a room or a garden is made up of stages, and getting them in the wrong order costs more than anything else. A freshly painted wall gets damaged for a new cable, and a new lawn gets dug up for a pipe. Here we describe a calm sequence: from the idea and the plan to working with a contractor and signing off the result.
First what makes dust and hides in the walls and the ground, then what people look at.
How this section works: we describe the general order of planning without calculations or costs. Check the requirements for specific works in the manufacturers' instructions and with your building management.
The stages of your project
Idea
Describe in words what should change and why: the room is brighter, there is a place to work, the garden has a shady spot to sit. Add a mood board.
Plan
Draw a measured plan and mark the furniture layout, lighting and outlets on it; for the garden, add zones, paths and plantings.
Budget
List the works and materials and estimate the budget in general terms. Leave a reserve for surprises: old walls and the ground often hold them.
Order of works
Messy work comes before finishing work: wiring, pipes and leveling go before painting and flooring. In the garden, paths and utilities come first, planting after.
Contractor
If you need tradespeople, come to them with a plan and a list of works. That makes it easier to compare offers and agree on stages.
Sign-off
Sign off each stage separately while hidden work is still visible. Check it in good light and do not hesitate to ask questions.
How to work with a contractor
It is best to put agreements in writing: the contract should describe the list of works, the stages, a general timeline, how payment works and how each stage is signed off. The clearer your plan, the less room there is for misunderstandings.
It helps to agree on stages so that you can stop after each one and look at the result. Photograph hidden work, such as wiring and pipes, before it is covered by finishes: the photos will come in handy when you need to hang a shelf or find a pipe.
Leave electrical work to an electrician, and start any remodeling only after you have found out the procedure from your building management or a specialist.
What to think through in advance
- Where the outlets and switches will be with the furniture layout you have chosen.
- Which lighting scenes each room needs.
- Whether the plan affects load-bearing walls, wet areas or gas.
- How the rooms will be ventilated during painting and finishing.
- Where underground utilities run on the plot.
- Which plants will cope with the light, the soil and the space once they are fully grown.
Read next
- How-to
How to draw a measured floor plan of a room, put together a mood board and lay out a garden path.
- Tools
What helps when designing a home and garden: tape measure, laser distance meter, level, graph paper, samples, stakes and string.
- Plot planning
Archived address: how to plan your own plot, with zones, paths, flower beds, a rock garden and a pond.
What we rely on
- Manufacturers' instructions for materials and equipment
- Building management rules and local remodeling regulations
- Mydiz editorial materials
The advice in this reference is general and based on material manufacturers' instructions and widely accepted safety rules for the home and garden. Check paint composition, installation methods and work requirements in the instructions for the specific material and with your building management, and leave electrical work, remodeling and complex installation to professionals.